Orphaned Kittens
by Grasswing of Wingclan
Summary: Emberkit, Sorrelkit and Cloudkit always had their mother, Silvermask to be there for them. Starclan has our days marked and destinies set, so why did they have to take her so soon? Couldn't they let her stay? Fogclan challenge-Broken


**A/N: Hello guys, I'm back… I don't feel very happy and this challenge seems to reflect how I feel. Broken. My grandmother's cat Jackyl, who has had cancer for 5 years, had to be put down to sleep. Any ways, this challenge is about a young kit/apprentice that learns something that could change their lives forever. I am using my awesome OCs Emberflight and Sorrelflame. They are from my roleplaying in Mossclan (Nightspirit's Unknown forum) and since I own almost none of the clan, I will change it up a bit but keep their brother's name. Enjoy.**

The sweet, welcoming scent of milk drifted into a tiny black kit's nostrils and she opened her orange-yellow eyes, looking around the Willowclan nursery. The tiny kit seemed to sense something was wrong because the warm furry body of her mother wasn't right beside her. A loud series of coughs sounded from behind her and Emberkit turned around and saw her mother, Silvermask.

"Momma? Are you okay?" Emberkit asked worried and her mother nodded.

"I probably swallowed a feather. It would be hard not too with the amount you and your sister placed in the nest," she joked and Emberkit looked down at the soft nest with feathers. Her and her sister, Sorrelkit would race around camp and any warriors who were eating birds would have spare feathers. Any cat who wanted feathers would have to gather them quickly because once the two sisters were collecting feathers; they never even let a single one behind.

Emberkit turned and looked at her sister, who was fast asleep in the nest with their brother Cloudkit. There were tons and tons of feathers everywhere and somewhere there was moss beneath. Sorrelkit opened her eyes, yawning and looked at her mother sleepily. Silvermask began to cough again, this time, it was worse. Sorrelkit looked at her mother, tipping her head as if she was thinking. Then her eyes widened and Sorrelkit looked worried.

"You have greencough!" she wailed and Silvermask sighed.

"Don't worry my sweets. I will just grab some herbs quickly and be better soon," she reassured, nuzzling her white daughter. Sorrelkit nodded.

Then Silvermask walked out of the nursery and Emberkit turned to look at her worried sister. "Don't be upset. Momma promised she would be fine. Momma never breaks her promises," Emberkit meowed and Sorrelkit looked outside to where their mother had gone.

"Are you sure?"

Emberkit nodded. "She never, ever, ever breaks her promises!" the one moon old kit purred and Sorrelkit seemed to cheer up a bit.

* * *

(Time skip of half a moon)

Worry filled Silvermask's three kits. Their mother hadn't been able to return to the nursery yet. About a few sunrises ago, Emberkit had snuck into the medicine cat den and eavesdropped on one of Juniperfern's conversations. Silvermask was getting worse and she might join Starclan. The usual perky kits sat outside of the nursery, not making a single noise.

A few cats of the clan knew something bad was happening to Silvermask if her bouncy kits weren't getting in trouble, especially Emberkit.

"Emberkit, Sorrelkit, and Cloudkit? Can you come in?" Juniperfern meowed quietly and Emberkit rose to her paws, trudging to the medicine cat den. The three kit's whiskers were drooping and tails dragged in the dust. Right before they entered the den, Sorrelkit looked up at the Tortishell she-cat.

"Why couldn't you save her?"

Juniperfern sighed and looked down at the tiny kits. Barely a moon and a half and they had no known father and a mother who would soon be joining Starclan. It torn her heart that these innocent kits would become orphans so quickly in their life. "Follow me," she murmured, swallowing back a sob.

The kits followed her to Silvermask's nest. The silver and white tabby she-cat let out a ragged cough, her whole body shaking and Sorrelkit gasped. "Momma! Why are you leaving us?" she wailed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Silvermask looked at her kits weakly. "My precious little warriors. I don't want to leave you. I really want to stay…" she was interrupted by a series of loud coughs and Emberkit gazed at her mother, eyes wide. "But I can't stay much longer. I love you so much," she rasped and Cloudkit licked his mother's cheek.

"Who is our father?" Emberkit asked quietly and Silvermask looked at her daughter, who had a black pelt just like her father.

"He promised me never to tell."

"Is he is the clan?" Cloudkit pestered and Silvermask shook her head.

"Sorrelkit, make sure your sister doesn't get into too much trouble. Be brave my kits. I will be watching you from Starclan," she whispered and lay her head on her paws. Tears were streaming down Emberkit's and Sorrelkit's cheeks. Cloudkit looked up at the medicine cat, his blue eyes filled with sadness.

Guilt surged through Juniperfern and she tried to shake it away but the looks in the kits' eyes as their mother died in front of them was just horrible. "Be brave my kits," Silvermask rasped, coughing and she closed her eyes. Cloudkit turned to his mother, shaking her.

"Please don't close your eyes! You can't leave us!" he wailed.

Sorrelkit turned and glared at her sister. "You lied to me! You said she would get better and come back! She broke her promise and you lied to me! How could you?" Sorrelkit hissed and Emberkit backed away.

Then Sorrelkit broke down in sobs as her mother's breathing became shallow. Emberkit joined Cloudkit in trying to wake their mother but it was no use. Juniperfern couldn't take anymore of seeing the kits upset so she used her tail to draw them close, listening to their sobs and wails.

Silvermask's body gave one last shudder and lay still. Sorrelkit let out a long, sad wail and slipped out of the medicine cat's grasp, rushing over to her mother's side. She pressed her face into her mother's soft silver tabby fur. Cloudkit slipped away and sat beside his sister, nudging his mother's head. "Wake up momma. Please, we miss you. We need you and now we have no other family," he wailed and Emberkit looked at Juniperfern.

"If you are a medicine cat, how come you couldn't save her life? You managed to save all the others and yet you let our mother die! I hope you are happy!" she spat, tears flowing down her cheeks. She stalked off and joined her siblings at their mother's body which was growing cold.

The faint smell of milk was still on her and Emberkit let out a whimper. Juniperfern moved closer to the kits to try to comfort them but Cloudkit glared at her.

"This is your fault!"

**A/N: How did you like it? Poor Emberkit, Sorrelkit, and Cloudkit. They lost everything and only had each other. I don't own Cloudkit. He was originally created by Silverstorm of Mossclan. The medicine cat name was changed along with the clan because I own none of them! Why not go and join Fogclan or Nightspirit's The Unknown forums? They are awesome! Just tell them Grasswing sent you.**

**-Grasswing.**


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